


Set Me Free

by laelipoo



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec is so gone for this man, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, Domestic Fluff, Generally Bad Person Maryse Lightwood, M/M, Magnus is the legit best, Protective Alec Lightwood, Spoilers, The next few episodes may actually kill us all, they're so soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-24 02:12:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9695234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laelipoo/pseuds/laelipoo
Summary: No good deed goes unpunished, and Magnus and Maryse still cannot be in the same room.Makes throwing a party for the youngest Lightwood rather difficult.Thank God and also Beyoncé for wine and a quick exit stage left.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [StarWitness42](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarWitness42/gifts), [alphabane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphabane/gifts).



> __  
> shadowhunters, malec, set during 2x08 at the party. obviously spoilers!!!  
>   
> 
> as always, for my snickerdoodle [@alphabane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphabane/works) and my bae, my wife, the lovely and super talented [@Starwitness42](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarWitness42/works) who is waaaayyyy too good for me. Y'all are so precious and deserve the world.
> 
> title is from BITE by troye sivan

Magnus cannot be in this room any longer, which, given that it's his apartment, is rather vexing.  There is rage building in his spine, fury hidden in his face so he steps away, shooting Mayrse the most insincere smile he can make, heading for the balcony.

The night is cool, refreshing after the body heat filling the loft and he takes a deep breath, braces himself against the railing. The view is rather fantastic; one of the prime reasons he had bought this loft so long ago. Magnus hopes that he’ll outlive the old mentality that made Shadowhunters think of themselves as inherently better, as the ‘good guys’.  

 

Sadly, until then he can only grin and bare it. 

Sure, he could start a fight, have Mayrse leave for the verbal barbs she has been throwing at them both all night. Ban her from coming anywhere near him again.  It will only make matters worse, add tension to Alec’s shoulders and they carry enough as it is. And that’s the problem, isn’t it?

 

Alec has no sense of self-preservation, is ready and willing to fight for any cause he deems worthy. He’ll throw himself between young Max and someone who could have been Valentine (Magnus remembers how he snapped a pen in his grip on finding out about _that_ one) . Go to Magnus, who, he can admit in the privacy of his own head, had been a bit petty, and beg for help to save Isabelle from the Clave’s unique brand of justice. Not to mention facing death itself for Jace. 

 

And Alec, who wears that Lightwood name like both a crown and shackles, will apparently throw it down for Magnus,  and he doesn’t know how to handle that. 

 

He’s had many lovers; lost them all for one reason or another. Death, politics, a difference in morals or the slow decay of affection.  There are a few he chose, to have and keep from this day forward, but it never quite worked out. They always chose something else, _someone_ else. Never him. 

 

Until now.

 

He can hear the door open, doesn’t bother turning around to see who it is. Only one person is stubborn enough to chase after him, it seems.

 

“You alright?” Alec asks softly, deep voice a bit rough from the wine they had both been drinking earlier.  They both know that nothing Mayrse said is _alright_ , but Magnus nods anyway. Alec comes to stand just behind him, offering comfort, but not assuming Magnus wants to be touched. Such a kind and gentle man, if _slightly_ rough around the edges. 

 

 They stand in the quiet for a moment before Magnus sighs, turns enough to catch Alec’s eye. “I suppose she’s making you work for it?”  When Alec just stares down at him, makes the slight tilt to his head that makes Magnus think of a confused puppy, he smiles. Or well, tries to. It’s lopsided and strained, and it’s not fooling anyone. “Her forgiveness. I assume your lovely mother prefers groveling instead of flowers.”

 

Alec still looks confused, and while it’s an adorable sight, it’s not helping Magnus figure out exactly how much _less_ he will be seeing his boyfriend.  "I didn’t apologize.“

 

Magnus blinks once, twice, arches both brows. He doesn’t quite know what to say, but that’s fine. Alec does. "Magnus, what she said–it’s wrong,   _she’s wrong_ , and I’m so sorry you had to hear that. Ever. I-it’s never okay, but especially here. This is your _home_.”

 

Magnus cannot help the look of utter incredulity on his face. Alec gets it, seems to understand that Magnus is in shock even if he can’t understand why, because he turns them to face each other properly, lets his hands rest on Magnus’ sides.  Strong thumbs press soft strokes over the curve of his hips, offering the only comfort Alec thinks he can give.

 

“You threw this party, put in so much effort for someone you don’t even _know_ , because you get it,” Alec forces out.  “It’s a big deal to us, to _me_ , and he’s my baby brother, and she couldn’t even take one second to _recognize_ that before starting up on the same old rant again. And besides that, even if she questioned my choice, you would think that as a mother, at least, my happiness would be of some importance.”

 

Magnus is about fifty different emotions at the moment, churning away inside and he just cannot process them right now. The anger, the frustration is there as always, battling hope and fear and others he can’t bear to name.  Not now. Not here. 

 

So he pushes them away, lets a real, if small smile slip onto his face as he looks up at Alec through his lashes. He’s glorious in the moonlight, tall and silver-glinted and so handsome in his dark suit. And, at least for the moment, his. 

 

“I make you happy?” Magnus asks after a moment, soft and a bit unsure.  It is meant to be more flirtatious, he wants to follow it up with a quip but the gravity of the moment won’t let him. He can’t but think of his own words before the wedding that never was, tries his best to keep his hopes in check.  

 

“Yes,” Alec answers softly before leaning in to kiss him, and _that_ , Magnus supposes, is that.


End file.
